Empire of Soccerhttp://www.empireofsoccer.com
New York Red Bulls, New York Cosmos, New York City FC, MLS, USMNT, and World SoccerFri, 09 Dec 2016 23:00:50 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.1Cosmos Have Laid Off Majority of Staff Membershttp://www.empireofsoccer.com/cosmos-have-laid-off-majority-of-staff-members-56189/
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/cosmos-have-laid-off-majority-of-staff-members-56189/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 23:00:50 +0000http://www.empireofsoccer.com/?p=56189by JAKE NUTTING

After spending two weeks waiting in limbo, some staff members of the New York Cosmos have finally been given the news: their employment with the team has officially come to an end.

EoS has learned that the majority of the team’s employees have been laid off by ownership on Friday afternoon. Ownership had placed a number of employees on furlough the past two weeks, leading to this decision.

The unfortunate development comes as little surprise following EoS’s report on Monday that the team had terminated the contracts of all its remaining players. Players and non-playing staff members went unpaid in the final weeks of the year as the Cosmos surged on the field to win their second straight NASL title.

The short and long term future of the Cosmos is still unknown. After reportedly losing tens of millions of dollars since their inception, the team is not expected to compete in 2017. Some outlets have reported that the team is courting potential investors from New York to purchase the team, but no names have been attached those rumors.

Even if CEO Seamus O’Brien does manage to find a buyer for the Cosmos, the odds of them finding a league in the near future do not seem in their favor. The NASL appears to be on the brink of collapse. The USL’s leadership is said to be resistant to having the Cosmos join their league as well. And adding to their dilemma, MLS Commisioner Don Garber said on Friday that New York will not have a third MLS team.

]]>http://www.empireofsoccer.com/cosmos-have-laid-off-majority-of-staff-members-56189/feed/0Garber: “We Are Not Going to Have a Third Team” in New Yorkhttp://www.empireofsoccer.com/garber-we-are-not-going-to-have-a-third-team-in-new-york-56183/
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/garber-we-are-not-going-to-have-a-third-team-in-new-york-56183/#commentsFri, 09 Dec 2016 21:22:57 +0000http://www.empireofsoccer.com/?p=56183by ANTHONY J. MERCED

MLS Commissioner Don Garber did not mince words when asked during the State of the League about whether he would like to see the Cosmos brand in MLS.

With both NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls succeeding in the New York metro area, Garber shut the door on a third team — namely, the New York Cosmos.

“As it relates to the Cosmos, it’s a great brand,” said Garber to the media. “We have two teams in MLS in New York. We are not going to have a third team.”

Currently the NASL is in a state of flux. News broke that the league’s marquee franchise, the New York Cosmos, was potentially ceasing operations after massive losses incurred since their restart back in 2013. Many had theorized that the team would help lift the NASL into a competitive battle with MLS for first division supremacy but that has not happened.

Now the league faces the possibility of losing D2 status to the USL — and even the chance of folding altogether.

“When there’s instability it’s not good for anyone,” said Garber. “All of that is going on in real time. I spoke to Alec Papadakis two days ago. I know that they’re in discussions to try to figure out a way that perhaps there could be more order in the lower divisions. They have an application in for a second division status with US Soccer. I don’t know where that stands. It’s probably operating in real-time and Sunil Gulati might be able to give you a bit more perspective on that but we will continue to support the game, including at the lower levels.”

One of the big reasons that the USL has made such a resurgent comeback after the split with NASL over six-years ago has to do with the direct affiliation with MLS. Ten teams are currently operating reserve teams in the USL and nearly every team has an affiliation with a club in the third division. This direct link has helped the USL explode from 13 teams in 2013 to 30 teams in 2017.

The NASL, on the other hand, has taken a more independent stance, refusing to associate in a “minor league baseball” model with MLS franchises.

As for the New York Cosmos, the situation remains bleak. The team has released players from their contracts and Head Coach Giovanni Savarese has been assisting players in finding clubs to play for in the coming season. Ownership has also been silent about their moves, leaving many in their fan base to speculate about the club’s future.

The worst kept secret in soccer is now confirmed as the USL’s Ottawa Fury have announced that they are entering into a partnership with the MLS franchise Montreal Impact.

“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to grow soccer and comes with both business and technical benefits,” said Ottawa Head Coach Paul Dalglish. “We are and will remain an independent club. We are proud of our identity and excited for the opportunities that this relationship will provide both our organizations – including work on player development pathway.”

The partnership will see the Fury work with the Impact in order to identify players that could join the USL squad over the next season. Along with that, Dalglish will be in attendance for Impact training and have a direct influence on the development of player talent moving forward.

The deal will also include a friendly between the two sides, to take place at some point in 2017.

Fury FC will play their first season in the USL in 2017 after leaving the NASL where they played for two years. In 2015, the team was a finalist in the NASL Championship, falling to the New York Cosmos. Last season, new head coach Paul Dalglish took over the team and led them to a disappointing 10th place finish.

Previous to this, the Montreal Impact ran FC Montreal, a reserve team within the USL. The team was young and promising but couldn’t produce consistently on a competitive level. This partnership should take some of the brightest talents from that team and give them more experience alongside more veteran players.

Lastly, many have been quick to criticize the move on social media but the club continues to proclaim their independence. The Ottawa team will not become a reserve team but will instead seemingly operate more like a Minor League Baseball team, with an affiliation and loaned talent.

A mainstay of the reboot New York Cosmos has gone on the record with some serious criticisms of the NASL team’s ownership.

Ayoze, who was only one of two players to surpass 100 appearances for the Cosmos in the modern era, spoke to MARCA about the team’s downward spiral, laying the blame for the turmoil squarely at the feet of the front office leadership.

“It was painful, unfortunate … they have left to die a historical club which has had some of the best players of all time from the past,” Ayoze told MARCA. “Everything has been because of a disastrous management, I don’t know if they realize what they have done.”

EoS’ initial report last week that front office staff had been placed on furlough and players had gone unpaid in the final weeks of the season caught many by surprise, but the veteran Ayoze claims everyone involved with the team saw the warning signs all year.

“We did not think that [the Cosmos]would disappear, but it did not catch us by surprise,’ he said. “Word during the year was the club was looking for a new owner to move on.”

According to Ayoze, the severity of the situation finally crystallized for him and his teammates as they were preparing to battle for their third NASL title in four years.

“I think this team had incredible merit. Two irreplaceable players like Marcos Senna and Raul left, and a thousand off-field issues emerged… but we were able to move forward despite the situation because we believed it would benefit us individually.”

Ayoze believes the way ownership has handled the financial difficulties has lacked professionalism. He says that multiple MLS teams are interested in his services at left back, but that his situation is unclear as he has yet to received any communication from the Cosmos, who apparently still have him under contract for next year.

“The way [ownership] has done everything, after four years, is a great disappointment. We think they have been playing with the feelings of professionals and their families … There are guys who are really in a bad situation.”

]]>http://www.empireofsoccer.com/ayoze-disastrous-management-killed-off-reboot-cosmos-56173/feed/0MLS Cup Preview: Toronto, Seattle, seek first Cuphttp://www.empireofsoccer.com/mls-cup-preview-toronto-seattle-seek-first-cup-56142/
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/mls-cup-preview-toronto-seattle-seek-first-cup-56142/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:32:36 +0000http://www.empireofsoccer.com/?p=56142Major League Soccer’s 2016 season comes to a close on Saturday night, when Toronto FC hosts the Seattle Sounders in this year’s MLS Cup. Both teams are making their first appearance in the final, but only one will be able to lift the trophy when all is said and done. Even as capacity at BMO Field has been expanded to 37,000, tickets quickly sold out upon going on sale to the public this week. A contingent of 1,500 is expected from Seattle.

The game will be broadcast on Fox in the U.S., marking a return to broadcast TV after nearly a decade of finals played on cable.

Toronto enters the final after a thrilling comeback win over Montreal. They boast the league’s most dangerous player in Sebastian Giovinco, and a red-hot Jozy Altidore to boot. Their defense, the best in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, often gets overlooked but deserves credit for TFC’s success as well.

The Sounders had their worst start in franchise history, and fired long-time coach Sigi Schmid in the summer. But Brian Schmetzer, along with transfer window-signing Nicolas Lodeiro, have sparked a run that has carried them into and through the playoffs. Rookie Jordan Morris has come into his own as a forward, and the absence of Clint Dempsey has yet to slow down their wave of momentum.

Background

For Toronto, hosting MLS Cup is a long-awaited high point for a franchise that has mostly struggled. TFC entered MLS with a supporters culture that was unheard of in the league in 2007. But they quickly became known more for futility, as the Reds failed to make the playoffs in their first eight seasons. The signing of Giovinco helped turn things around last year, and Toronto added veteran MLS defenders in the offseason to make this year’s team their best yet.

Seattle has had comparatively great success. Since joining MLS in 2009, they have reached the playoffs every season, won the U.S. Open Cup four times, and claimed the Supporters’ Shield in 2014. But this marks the first time they’ve been able to get over the hump of the Western Conference playoffs and reach MLS Cup. And it comes in a season that looked lost just a few months ago.

Previous meeting:

Toronto hosted Seattle and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in early July. The goals were scored a minute apart, by a pair of Jordans. Jordan Hamilton gave TFC the lead on the hour mark, only for it to be quickly erased by Jordan Morris at the other end. The Reds were without Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore; the game was played before the Sounders acquired Nicolas Lodeiro. All three of those players have been impactful in their respective clubs’ playoff runs.

Prediction:

Finals tend to be cagey affairs, but neither of these teams likes to sit back. On a cold night in Toronto, there should be plenty of action to keep fans and players warm in this one. TFC is the better team on paper, but Seattle on their run has an air of magic about them. I think this will go to extra time and even penalty kicks. Forced to pick a winner, I’ll go with the hosts.

The New York Cosmos’ midtown office is a ghost town. Members of ownership are joined by a handful of executive staffers, tending to the day-to-day business of the club — or what is left of it.

However, there is one staff member who is still busy at work — even if he never steps foot in the Manhattan compound.

That man is Giovanni Savarese.

EoS has learned that the longtime Cosmos Head Coach and Sporting Director remains under contract with the team. And while that may be news onto itself, it is what Savarese is doing with his time that will raise a few eyebrows.

Devoid of any specific role with the team, Savarese has given himself an agenda: playing matchmaker for his former players. Savarese, who is no stranger to the transfer market, is using his respectable network of worldwide contacts to find homes for his displaced players.

This isn’t a duty placed on Savarese by ownership, but rather a personal undertaking. As EoS reported last week, all Cosmos players have been released from their contracts, meaning any move from here on out does not fill Savarese’s coffers or that of Cosmos ownership. Instead, it is a continuation of the “family culture” which Savarese has spearheaded since taking the coaching reins in 2013.

The longtime Cosmos boss has long balanced the economics of football with the best interests of his players. In fact, some moves have shown so much deference to the individual that Savarese has, at times, been subject to criticism.

As an example, the Venezuelan boss spearheaded an effort to land star U.S. prospect Haji Wright with the team, assisting his development ahead of an inevitable move to Schalke. Instead of taking the opportunity for a transfer fee, Savarese let Wright move to Germany on a free transfer as a sign of “good will” to future developmental products. Likewise, he has stood out of the way of players who sought to improve their careers in the transfer market. One such instance was that of Walter Restrepo, who left the club for a move to the Philadelphia Union — without resistance from the Cosmos ownership or directors.

With that kind of history, it is no surprise to see the longtime Cosmos boss finding his niche with the players he once led.

Savarese is under contract with the Cosmos through 2017. Whether he rides out the entirety of his deal remains to be seen. Until then, his role will be as it was – on the side of his players.

United States Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos has announced his 20-player roster for the team’s upcoming December camp, which includes the Red Bulls’ teenage star.

As the United States Men’s National Team sits patiently for the upcoming January camp, the country’s youth system is preparing for February’s CONCACAF U-20 Championship by conducting a training camp and two friendlies against Costa Rica’s U-20 side on December 17 and 19. The camp, which is situated at the same location of the championship, will be held at the Eastadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose and the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in Tibas from February 17 to March 15.

The 2017 CONCACAF Championship will act as a qualification tournament for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.

“This will be a great opportunity for our players to get acclimated to Costa Rica and get a sense of what they can expect in February,” Ramos said. “The chance to play Costa Rica twice will be a good test for our guys to see where they stand against the host nation, who is playing at a very high level.”

Wrapping up his productive 2016 campaign with next week’s camp, New York Red Bulls product Tyler Adams will join Ramos and 19 other teammates in San Jose in preparation for next year’s tournaments.

Adams had a breakout year with the New York Red Bulls’ USL side, helping the reserve team win the league’s championship. The 17-year-old’s impressive 2016 campaign earned himself an appearance with the club’s senior team during the regular season.

Jonathan Klinsmann, son of the former USMNT boss, has made Ramos’ 20-man roster as wekk. Tipped as one of the next up and coming American goalkeepers. Ramos 20-man roster contains 17 players who have participated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Out of those 17, Georgetown goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski has spent the most years in the DA, playing five seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes academy.

This time, USL will lose an MLS2 team in 2017 — but that is not necessarily a sign of the league’s health. Reports state that FC Montreal will be making way for the Ottawa Fury to be the Impact’s USL affiliate team according to Tony Marinaro of TSN. FC Montreal will close their operations in the transition.

Marinaro would go on to detail the three options laid out for FC Montreal players.

Option 1: Players can try out for the Ottawa Fury but would not be guaranteed a spot with the team.

Option 2: Players could play in the PSL, a lower division semi-pro French-Canadian league where the Impact’s reserve team may play next season.

Option 3: Players can be released from their contracts but the Montreal Impact will retain their player rights for one year.

FC Montreal started play in 2015 and was the youngest side in the league for two straight seasons. Despite not producing on the field, the team showed signs of progression with players like Alessandro Riggi and Frederic Lajoie-Gravelle being potential MLS candidates. The move also throws into question the academy system for the Montreal Impact which has been rumored to be less of a priority next season.

The loss of FC Montreal may be an indication of league wishes. MLS2 teams are the lowest attended sides in the USL with branding that makes it difficult to market. The teams also add a “reserve-league” feel which many teams are wishing to avoid in the future. Teams such as Reno 1868, which will be the MLS team for the San Jose Earthquakes, took an approach which not only branded the team differently but didn’t place them in the same general sports market.

Incoming MLS franchise Los Angeles FC has a USL affiliate team in local club Orange County Blues.

The deal is a multi-year agreement that will create a pipeline for incoming talent to the newly minted Southern California club.

“We are thrilled to launch this exciting new era in Orange County Soccer with our LAFC affiliation,” said OC Blues General Manager and Executive VP of Soccer Operations Oliver Wyss. “This partnership will significantly enhance the quality of our first team and strengthen the bond between the two clubs.”

LAFC is still a year away from taking the field in 2018. However, this partnership will allow the team to loan players to the USL side starting next season, meaning the academy system can get started before a ball is ever kicked in MLS.

“We are incredibly excited about this partnership,” said LAFC Executive VP of Soccer Operations John Thorrington. “In the OC Blues we have a fantastic partner with an owner and staff who closely align with our vision to bring world-class professional soccer to Southern California.”

Orange County Blues became a USL expansion franchise in 2010 and has been a constant fixture in the league ever since. Last season, OC finished in eighth place (12-14-4, 40 pts.) defeating the first seeded Sacramento Republic FC in the first round of the USL Championship Playoffs. In August the team was purchased by James Keston, a local investor in the Los Angeles area.

After spending a year on the bench, Mix Diskerud is preparing to leave New York City FC.

In an interview with MLSsoccer.com Tuesday morning, Vieira commented on Diskerud’s situation. “He is looking for playing time,” Vieira said. “We are having a discussion with him and try to find the best way to satisfy Mix and ourselves.”

Apart from New York City FC’s original three designated players, Mix Diskerud was NYCFC’s key signing in 2015. Having heavily started for the United States Men’s National Team as well as playing 146 matches in Europe, the 26-year-old midfielder was tipped to excel in the MLS. However, Diskerud struggled in America and NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira noticed.

In 2015, Diskerud looked to be a star in New York under head coach Jason Kreis, but that did not pan out to plan. The 26-year-old midfielder made 27 appearances for the club, scoring three times and providing one assist. Although these stats are far from exceptional, Diskerud provided NYCFC with a consistent midfielder when compared to injury prone designated players Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.

In 2016, Diskerud played in 12 matches, scoring one goal and two assists. The 26-year-old hasn’t played a professional match since early June, only to make one appearance against Liga MX side Necaxa in an October friendly.

Diskerud’s departure will clear up money for New York as they attempt to find a replacement for designated player Frank Lampard. When asked for potential possibilities, Patrick Vieira stated, “What we really want is to find the right player who will make us improve as a team and then the right player has to be the right one, the good people. I think David is a perfect example. We want to bring players who can fill with what we are trying to do at this football club.

“If we find a young DP, it will be good. If he’s not a young DP, it will be good as well. We just have to look at the options and take the best options that we have.”

No matter who NYCFC elect to sign, the Eastern Conference club will look to improve off of their superb second season in existence – with or without Mix Diskerud.